Renaissance Educator Initiative

"Thank you so much for providing a great teaching opportunity for me, and for the BJE community. I hope that we can work together again soon."

Renaissance Educators are full time, knowledgeable, well-trained and multi-talented professionals who "can do it all". They serve in a variety of capacities individualized to the needs of their institution. In addition to teaching, Renaissance Educators also take on administrative and programmatic responsibilities and work in early childhood, youth (K-12), adult education and family education.

The Renaissance Educator Initiative creates full-time positions for Jewish educators who will fill multidimensional roles and have the capacity to facilitate change projects. Sites receive funding for three years to help build the financial capacity of the institution to bring on a new educator. The Initiative provides each educator with an individualized plan of academic and professional experiences, a specifically designed network and opportunities to participate in other BJE network meetings pertinent to their work.

To date 11 schools have participated in the Renaissance Educator initiative and there are currently ten alumni all of whose positions have been maintained, even after the initial 3 years of funding. Four additional sites have themselves created five more Renaissance Educator positions. Three Renaissance Educator alumni have gone on to become directors of schools!